Electric switch contacts

ABSTRACT

An electrical switch contact comprises having contacts including a generally cylindrical stem and an integral head which takes the form of a right triangular prism with an edge thereof perpendicular to the stem axis. A movable contact arm supported by a pair of said contacts for pivotal movement relative thereto on the edges thereof.

0 United States Patent 1191 1111 3,717,738 Lewis 1 51 Feb. 20, 1973 [541ELECTRIC SWITCH CONTACTS [56] References Cited [75] Inventor: KeithLewis, Burnley, England UNITED STATES PATENTS [73] Assignee: JosephLucas (Industries) Limited, 3,297,851 1/1967 Jaquet ..200/l66 BHBirmingham, England 3,294,932 12 1966 Barlow ..200 166 BH x 3,316,3704/1967 Ardizzi ..200/67 G 1 Filed: March 19 3,225,156 12/1965 Sahrbacker.200 153 K x 5 [21] Appl No 65 Primary Examiner-H. 0. JonesAttorney-John C. Holman et al. [30] Foreign Application Priority DataMarch 5, 1971 Great Britain ..6,2l 1/71 [57] ABSTRACT An electricalswitch contact comprises having con- 52 US. Cl ..200/166 B11 wasincluding a generally cylindrical Stem and an 51 1111; C1. ..H0lh 1/06tegral head which takes the form of a right triangular [58] Field OfSearch....200/166 BH, 166 c, 67 G, 68, Prism with an edge thereofPerpendicular to the Stem 200/153 K axis. A movable contact armsupported by a pair of said contacts for pivotal movement relativethereto on the edges thereof.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures ELECTRIC SWITCH CONTACTS This inventionrelates to contacts for use in electric switches.

According to the invention an electric switch contact adapted to beengaged, in use, by a relatively movable further contact, comprises astem and an integral head on said stem, said head having a first facewhose plane is substantially parallel to the axis of said stem and asecond face which intersects said first face at an acute angle so as todefine an edge which is substantially perpendicular to said stem axis.

The invention further resides in an electric switch which includescontacts as above defined.

An example of the invention will now be described with reference to theaccompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 is a side view of a contactaccording to the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a view on arrow 2 in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 shows a part section through a switch which includes contacts asshown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The contact shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a stem and .an integral head 1 lin the form of a right triangular prism.- The head 11 includes a face 12normal to the axis of the stem 10, a face 13 normal to the face 12 i.e.,parallel to the axis of the stem 10, and a face 14 which intersects face13 at an acute angle so as to define an edge 15 which is perpendicularto the axis of the stem 10.

In use, a plurality of the above contacts are supported within anelectric switch, as shown in FIG. 3, on a base 16 and are associatedwith a contact arm which is movable by a switch mechanism 17. Edges 15of contacts 18, 19 provide pivots about which arm 20 can be moved bymechanism 17. Face 14 of contacts 21, 22 are engageable by respectiveends 23, 24 of the arm 20.

I claim:

1. An electrical switch contact adapted to be engaged, in use, by arelatively movable further contact, comprising a stem and an integralhead on said stem,

said head having a first face whose plane is substantially parallel tothe axis of said stem, and a second face which intersects said firstface at an acute angle so as to define an edge which is substantiallyperpendicular to said stem axis.

2. An electrical switch contact as claimed in claim 1, wherein the headhas a further face whose plane is disposed normally with respect to theaxis of the stem, said further face forming, with the first and secondfaces, a right triangle whereby the head takes the form of a righttriangular prism.

3. An electrical switch including a plurality of contacts eachcomprising a stem and an integral head on said stem, said head having afirst face whose plane is substantially parallel to the axis of saidstem, and a second face which intersects said first face at an acuteangle so as to define an edge which is substantially perpendicular tosaid stem axis.

4. An electrical switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein each contact headhas a further face whose plane is disposed normally with respect to theaxis of the stem, said further face forming with the first and secondfaces a right triangle whereby each head takes the form of a rigglttrian ular prism,

. An e ectrlcal switch as claimed in claim 3, including a base andwherein two of the contacts are mounted on the base with their firstfaces in spaced, facing relationship, a contact arm is pivotallysupported on the said two edges of the contacts, and a pair of furthercontacts on the arm are engageable with a further two of said contactson the base by pivotable movements of the contact arm on the said edges.

6. An electrical switch as claimed in claim 4, including a base andwherein two of the contacts are mounted on the base with their firstfaces in spaced, facing relationship, a contact arm is pivotallysupported on the said two edges of the contacts, and a pair of furthercontacts on the arm are engageable with a further two of said contactson the base by pivotable movements of the contact arm on the said edges.

1. An electrical switch contact adapted to be engaged, in use, by arelatively movable further contact, comprising a stem and an integralhead on said stem, said head having a first face whose plane issubstantially parallel to the axis of said stem, and a second face whichintersects said first face at an acute angle so as to define an edgewhich is substantially perpendicular to said stem axis.
 1. An electricalswitch contact adapted to be engaged, in use, by a relatively movablefurther contact, comprising a stem and an integral head on said stem,said head having a first face whose plane is substantially parallel tothe axis of said stem, and a second face which intersects said firstface at an acute angle so as to define an edge which is substantiallyperpendicular to said stem axis.
 2. An electrical switch contact asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the head has a further face whose plane isdisposed normally with respect to the axis of the stem, said furtherface forming, with the first and second faces, a right triangle wherebythe head takes the form of a right triangular prism.
 3. An electricalswitch including a plurality of contacts each comprising a stem and anintegral head on said stem, said head having a first face whose plane issubstantially parallel to the axis of said stem, and a second face whichintersects said first face at an acute angle so as to define an edgewhich is substantially perpendicular to said stem axis.
 4. An electricalswitch as claimed in claim 1, wherein each contact head has a furtherface whose plane is disposed normally with respect to the axis of thestem, said further face forming with the first and second faces a righttriangle whereby each head takes the form of a right triangular prism.5. An electrical switch as claimed in claim 3, including a base andwherein two of the contacts are mounted on the base with their firstfaces in spaced, facing relationship, a contact arm is pivotallysupported on the said two edges of the contacts, and a pair of furthercontacts on the arm are engageable with a further two of said contactson the base by pivotable movements of the contact arm on the said edges.